Electropneumatic unit valve for pipe organs



Dec, 16, 1924.

F. A. MOENCH ELECTROPNEUMATIC UNIT VALVE FOR PIPE ORGANS Flled June 26,1922 s lHli IIIIII anni;

Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

"UNITED STA FRANZ A. MOF-NCH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ELECTBOPNEUMATIC UNIT VALVE FOR ORGANS.

Application filed June 26, 1922. Serial No. 571,097.

To aZZ whom tmay concern:

' Be it known that I, FRANZ A. MoENcH, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of- Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectropneumatic Unit Valves for Pipe Organs; and I do herebydeclarethat the following is a. full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof..

p The invention relates to electro-pneumatic unit'valves for pipeorgans.

It comprises a' wind chest, in which a pluj rality of the valvemechanisms are installed.

Each of the valve mechanisms comprises a valve, the position of which iscontrolled by air pressure in the wind chest `and electromagnetic meansfor determining the action of the air pressure on the valve. The valveand-electro-magnetic means are made in one complete unit.

The primary object of the invention is the I provision of a valve unitwhich may be inserted into the wind`chest from below, thus leaving thepipes untouched and not in any way interfering with the musicalcondition of the pipe organ. Whereas, heretofore, the removal' of dustand foreign matter from valves has necessitated, in some construetions,the removal of pipes, this is not necessary n the novel device. Theyremoval and Ureinsertion, of a pipe are inconvenient and oftentimesadversely affect the musical character of the instrument.

The object of the invention is the provision of a construction which canbe readily tested to determine its operativeness, and

rwhich may be conveniently shipped, all parts being united in a singleunitary structure.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a valvemechanism which may be conveniently removed and replaced. In the eventofderangement in the magnet or valve structure, the entire unit -may bereadily andv promptly removed. The opera- .tion' does not require askilled mechanic and may be accomplishedeven without the use of tools. f

Another unit valve may be conveniently inserted. If no reserve unitvalve is at hand, a blind unit to cover the pipe and bottom hole in thechest may be used until the defective unit s replaced.

l the provision of an adjuster.

ture may alter the distance at which the means are provided for takingup the distance between the opening in the top boardl and the valve.Thus swelling and shrinkage "valve is disposed above the bottom board,

in the chest are instantly taken up by the adjnster so that thevalvevaction is at all times reliable.

Withl the above and other objects in view, 4

parts, substantially as hereinafter describedand more particularly denedby the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in theprecise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may bemadev as comewithin the scope of the claims.

\In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of the present invention constructed accordingto the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application ofthe principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a wind chest, showing one o'f theunits in side elevation and another in vertical, central section, thesection being substantially on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a section op the line 2 2 o having a gasket 19 thereonadapted to contact with the surface of bottom board 12 adjacent opening15, in such wise that escape of air is not possible..

Closure 16 is apertured to receive a hollow cylinder 20, the bottom ofwhich is threaded vfor the reception of plug 21 having a vent 22therein.. Cylinder 2O has an opening 23 in the side thereof registeringwith a duct 24 in plug 16, the duct communicating with pipe 25 rigidwith plug 16. The top of cylinder 20 is threaded for engagementv withcap 26, which is rigid with termini 27 of electro-magnet 28. ap 26'isprovided with a pair of apertures 29.

A metallic valve 30, havinga felt face 31, rests upon the top of plug 21and prevents air under pressure in chest 10 from escaping through vent22. Actuation of electro-magnet 28, which is accomplished by the iorganist, in a manner Well-known and common in the art, lifts valve 30and thus puts pipe 25 in communication` with the atmosphere through avent 22. The upper vend of pipe 25 is rigid with cylindrical box 32 andrthe pipe communicates With a chamber 33 therein, the top of which iscovered b va diaphragm 34.

Installed in the bottom of the box are cushions 35 adapted tonoiselessly 'withstand the impact of rigid valve 36, which is secured tothediaphragm and has soft fibre discs 37 and 38 thereon. Post 39 isrigid with valve 36 and -is received in the end of helical Spring 40,the tension of the spring being regulated by screvv 41 received in anopening in box 32. l

When valve is in the position shown in Figure 1, vthe air pressure inchamber 33 is the same as that of the air in Wind chest 10. On theoperation of electro-magnet 28 and the lifting 'of valve 30, thepressure of the air in chamber 33 is lowered to that of the atmosphere.This results in a dropping of `by the organist is IWell-known to those'valve 33, the air in Wind chest 1() acting on diaphragm 34.

A. spacer 42 is rigid with .closure -16 and box 32. Thus valve 36, pipe25, electromagnet 28, and closure 16 are united in one unit. Contacts 43extend through closure'lG and are provided with laterally directedsupericial portions 44, against which retainers 45-45 are adapted toabut. The -retainers are rotatable on screws 46 and 46 and may vbe movedinto such position as to permit the insertion of closure 16, whereuponthey mayv be rotated to the position shown in Figure 2. The manner inwhich the circuit is-closed skilled in the art.

As is apparent, valve 36 and associated structure. may be placed inposition or removed Without necessitating any tampering with lpipes'14.Thus the musical character of the device is in nowise varied when thevalve units are repaired and cleaned. A valve unit may be removed anddusted sepa- -rately from all other parts of the organ, and

`the association o parts in an integral unit is such' as to facilitateshipment. Obviously, the removal .of the enitire unit valve may beaccomplished even by one unskilled in the art. Thus a -valve may bereadily removed and cleaned Without necessitating the presence of askilled Workman.

In the event of derangement of a valve, if no reserve unit is at hand, ablind unit may be used to cover the pipe and bottom hole in the chestuntil the defective unit is repaired.

Extreme atmospheric conditions and temperatures may cause a swelling orshrinkage of chest 10. This would result in varyin the distance betweenvalve 36 and top boar 11 and might cause an angling of valve 36 withrespect to the top board. An adjuster is therefore provided. It consistsof annuli 47-47 having openings therein in registry with opening 13. Theannuli have a flexible cover 4S adapted to be expandedl and contractedand a helical spring 49 terminates in .minor recesses in the annuli andmaintains them in spaced relation, the limit of separation beingdetermined by cover 48.

The adjuster is not necessary to the operationof the device, but Whereit is-used, the annulus 47 is secured in box 32 by a plurality ofspacers 50. The adjuster is, therefore, a part of the valve unit and isinserted with the valve and cooperating parts through opening 15 inbottom board 12. The annulus 47 is providedavith a gasket 51, preventingthe escape of air between the annulus 47 and top board 11, the helicalspring 49 maintaining the gasket 51 tightly in position.

Spacers 50 maintain a definite spaced relation between box 32 andannulus 47 so that valve 36 is maintained in a predetermined anddefinite position irrespective oi".

variations of temperature and atmospheric conditions.

The operation of valve 36 on the actuation of electro-magnet has beendescribed. Obviously, when the magnetic action ceases,

valve 31 is permitted -to return to position l,

raclosure' for the opening in said bottom. I

`board, a pipe communicating with said lbox at one end and at anotherend with said closure, said closure having a duct therein communicatingvwith said pipe, said closure having openings communicating With saidWind chest, a vent communicating with the atmosphere, a second valvenormally closing said vent, and electro-magnetic means for elevatingsaid .second valve to cover sad openings, whereby said vent isput intocommunication With said duct, said pipe, and s aid box.

2. The combination of a valve, a box, a diaphragm closing said box andsecured to said valve, a spring in said box for maintaining said valvein outer position, a pipe in communication With said box, av closurerigid with the lower end of said pipe, a duct in saidclosurecommunicating with said pipe, said closure having an opening and a venttherein, a .second valve in said closure normally closing said vent, andelectro-magnetic means operable to lift said valve to close said openingand put said vent in communication with said duct.

3. The combination-of a valve, a box having a' chamber therein, adiaphragm secured to said valve and said box, a spring in said boxmaintaining said valve normally in outer position, and a cushion in saidbox adapted to receive the impact of said valve.

4. The combination of a top board having an opening therein, a valve,and an automatically adjustable member interposed between said valve andsaid opening for taking up variations in distance between said valve andsaid opening.

5. The combination with an orga-n wind chest having a bottom wallprovided with an opening, a top 4board provided with an opening, of aclosure for said opening in said bottom board, a valve, a self-adjustingmember rhaving an opening in communication with said opening insaid topboard and an opening normally closed by said valve, andelectro-magnetically controlled means structurally united with saidelectro-magnetically controlled means and said valve for determining theposition of said valve:

6. The combination of aI top board having an opening therein, a box, avalve, a dia-A phragm secured to saidvalve and covering said box, amember secured to said box and having an opening therein normallycovered 7. In a pneumatically controlled device,

thecombination of a stationary board having an opening therethrough, apair of members having openings therethrough, means tending normally toseparate said members and a iexible means secured to said membersandpermitting limited relative movement between said members, one ofsaid members being held in contact with said stationary board with itsaperture in registry with the aperture of said stationary board, saidexible member preventing the escape of air between said members orbetween said stationary board and the member contacting therewith. l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and lState of Wisconsin FRANZ A.MOENCH.

